


Of Changes

by yaruna



Series: Of Years Gone By [30]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Friendship, Gen, Legolas POV, POV First Person, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-07
Updated: 2016-02-07
Packaged: 2018-05-18 19:14:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5940046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yaruna/pseuds/yaruna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wherein Legolas and Aragorn discuss what will happen after the destruction of the Ring.</p><p>Legolas POV</p><p>All parts of the series are stand-alone one-shots, though some may have references to previous happenings</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Changes

It was done.

Frodo had succeeded spectacularly in his quest. He had not done it alone. He could not have done it alone. It had all been thanks to the help of Sam, his loyal friend, and thanks to the unplanned help of a very disturbed creature. A creature, once a person, without whom we all would have been doomed. Without whom the world would have become a much darker place than it had been.

It was done, but it was not over.

Darkness still walked upon the earth and it would take more than the end of Sauron’s realm to vanquish them. It would be up to the humans to rid the world of the remaining horrors. It was no longer a world for Elves or Dwarves. Hobbits may survive in their corner of the world for a while yet, but in the end, it was a world for the humans.

Estel… Aragorn had claimed his kingdom but was yet to be crowned the rightful king. He waited for the two hobbits to return to wakefulness, wishing for them to see what they had helped make real.

The grass rustled as someone walked upon it and I turned to see Aragorn walking with long strides towards me. He lifted his hand a few inches but dropped it before he could complete his gesture. His eyes travelled to the sides to ensure no one had seen, still unsure in his new role as king. He twisted his lips into a part grin, part scowl as he realized what he had done, and lifted the hand to give a small wave. He would grow into his role spectacularly. I nodded to him with a smile and turned back to watch the tree I had been gazing upon, trying to recapture the feelings of old. The content feeling I had always achieved when in the company of trees. It was there no longer.

‘We won,’ Aragorn said and sat down next to me.

‘Did we?’ I asked, thinking of all the destruction and misery that had been brought about.

‘Do you doubt it, my friend?’

‘I doubt the word itself. We lost many good men and allies.’

‘You are right,’ he said, and looked down at the grass. He put his hand on it and let his fingers play with its strands. He picked a few and rolled them in his hands.

It had not been my intention to make him sad and I was about to tell him we had still wrought success when he spoke again.

‘Everything will change,’ he said. It was a statement, filled with melancholy. He watched the strands of grass in his hand intently.

‘Most for the better,’ I answered. ‘You shall be king, and finally gain the hand of Lady Arwen.’

He looked distraught then, and a horrible notion filled me. ‘Or has something changed?’

‘Nay,’ he was quick to reassure, and then quirked a smile. ‘Not to my knowledge at least.’

‘Then all is as it should.’

‘Not everything.’

He opened his hand and the grass flowed downwards. They were caught by a gust of wind, which carried them away from us.

‘What then?’ I asked when the grass had settled on the ground.

‘You.’

‘I am never as I should,’ I said with a grin. ‘This has never bothered you before.’

‘You have already changed; I have seen it over our travels. You have grown.’

‘And you think that you, who are not even a century old, should be the one to tell me this?’ I asked and turned to him with an amused smile.

He laughed easily. ‘Better me than Merry.’

It made me laugh loudly. ‘Yes, indeed.’

We sat silently, watching a bird land by the loose strands of grass. It picked them up in its beak and few off. The destruction of something could turn into the creation of something new. Something different. The grass would help build the bird’s nest.

I wondered what would happen to Mordor. Could it ever again be used for anything but darkness? Could it heal?

‘Have you thought of my question?’

His question to stay in Ithilien. To bring life back to the forest.

‘I have,’ I answered. He rolled his eyes, making me smirk. ‘That is highly unkingly behavior.’

‘I did not think I needed to be king around you.’ It was said in jest, but I heard a sense of seriousness and insecurity behind it, and I softened my face into a smile.

‘You do not. I am merely attempting to raise you into being a good king. Though I see not how I can help.’

He frowned, and I was quick to continue. ‘You are already a king that everyone will follow. And this is the best king of all.’

Had I not known better, I would have said he blushed.

‘I may still roll my eyes on occasion,’ he said.

‘And so you should. Never lose yourself to being king, Estel,’ I said, intentionally calling him by the name of his youth. In my head he was always Estel. I could call him Aragorn, or Strider, and it made no difference to me. But I knew the usage would help bring my point home.

‘I will miss you,’ he said.

‘I am not going anywhere.’

‘It will not be the same. I have enjoyed travelling with you this last year.’

I laughed; thinking that not many would say that the journey we had undertaken had been enjoyable. The companionship had been what had made it bearable. ‘As you will enjoy the years to come. It will be different, but not bad.’

He nodded in acceptance of my words.

‘Will you rule Ithilien for me?’

‘I will not,’ I answered and his face fell. ‘If my king should allow it, I will nurture it. I will make it healthy. I will bring Elves and they will bring it alive. But I will not rule it, for none should rule a land with such beauty.’

He laughed at me, and I gave him an embarrassed smile.

‘Only you, Legolas,’ he said while shaking his head. Although I did not know what he meant, it did not matter.

He was pleased.

As was I.

Ithilien truly had the potential to return to its former beauty but I had another reason for accepting his offer. It was a purely selfish reason, and I did feel guilty about making the decision without having asked my father and king. I would return to him, to see how our Mirkwood had stood against the fall of darkness, to give my farewells. I would return to ask his permission, but I knew by now he could not refuse me anything. Before my journey, before the quest of the ring, I had never pushed my own agenda. I had always doubted who was my king and who was my father. It had taken me more than half a millennia to understand they were one and the same.

He would let me go and I would live close to the sea.

Everything would change.

For me, everything had already changed.

I looked to the west, and felt only one thing.

 _Longing_.

My heart rested in the forest no more.


End file.
